STATEMENT I am aware that ITV infiltrated the Portsmouth Reform UK branch for their undercover report. I am featured in their documentary. Not in a bad way, in my opinion, but still featured. I’ll get to that in a minute…. What I am more shocked and disgusted in is that I now know who the two reporters were whom infiltrated us. These two men campaigned with us in March/April in Portsmouth and it leads me to wonder whether their interference in an election is a potential criminal offence. We have no way to know whether they posted flyers they were meant to. Or whether they gave us correct door knocking information. They campaigned in four seats specifically where, in 3, we lost by a small number of votes. Their involvement would have had an impact on the result. By default ITV could have literally paid reporters to ruin an election result for Reform UK candidates. That has to be criminal. On a personal level I allowed these men in my home. I made them drinks. They met my dogs. It’s an entirely disgusting invasion of personal privacy. I have photos of these men and know who they are - I will not disclose them at this stage but may in the future once I’ve gotten advice In relation to my involvement with the documentary I remain firm in everything I personally said. I was never a member of the Portsmouth Patriots, as the documentary states, but I have supported their movement over the years from the sidelines. The executive team who run them are good people. Yes outside third parties have come in and done some abhorrent things. Those people should be condemned. But the local group themselves are decent, passionate, local residents who care deeply about their community. I’m appalled by ITV and hope they are held to account for their potential criminal behaviour and election interference. The two reporters involved in infiltrating Portsmouth I hope are held to account for their personal actions in the outcome of elections. The money, resources and time spent by companies and individuals to damage Reform UK are unprecedented in our political system - you have to ask yourself why?

Andy Burnham has said many times since becoming Prime Minister that Britain is the victim of a sustained and damaging perception attack. Little things like adding these guards to Downing Street might seem trivial but I think it's very important to flex all the aura we have. Lee Kuan Yew wrote in his autobiography about how he took Singapore from being a third world to being a first world nation. He focussed relentlessly on perception. One key example is how he made sure the route from the airport to the central business district was the cleanest, smartest, most impressive stretch of Singapore in order to impress business visitors. Britain has forgotten that perception matters. In order to recover Britain needs to stop thinking like a first world nation, and instead to think more like a country *trying to become* a first world nation. Little things like this that add class, sparkle, or even aura matter. As do broken windows.

These places are less old - which median age also measures - but in terms of % of people under 35, and 20, Birmingham is considered the youngest city in the country. Fascinating place. youtu.be/vAgAzXxx7BM?si=dQzD…